Winding passages lined with 4.6 million shells, this is one of Margate's hidden gems.

The grotto is said to have been discovered in 1835 when a James Newlove lowered his young son into a hole in the ground while digging a pond. When the boy resurfaced he said he could see hundreds of shells embedded in walls.

The creator of this adorned cave still remains a mystery, with pagans or a secret cult among suggestions.

Mr Newlove opened the grotto to the public in 1838, and it now welcomes visitors throughout the year.